County
River To Open, Sandy Point Polluted With Poop
July 13, 2011 
POLLUTION WARNING AT SANDY POINT
Meanwhile the growing population of Canada geese is the prime suspect for E. Coli pollution at the Idaho State Park’s Sandy Point swimming beach below Lucky Peak Dam. The area looks nice, the toll booth is open (but probably doesn’t even make wages), and the geese out number visitors about 20 to 1.
The grass is covered with goose poop and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to calculate the sprinklers that keep the grass green also leach the poison poop into the swimming area. Idaho Park officials have posted warning signs of the health hazard and Wednesday there were only half a dozen people in the entire park.
The poop problem is so profound no one can picnic on the grass or allow children to play there. Based on the GUARDIAN’s visit, the poop in the grass is probably as much a risk as the waterborne pollution.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 13, 2011, 2:58 pm
I have seen many people swimming there on Sunday and Tuesday evenings. People must not care as it seems like a risky place gamble to me. Ann Morrison Park is not much better at times.
Maybe it is time to revisit some of the ideas from a previous time. https://boiseguardian.com/2009/02/19/park-board-slips-in-goose-plan/
Jul 13, 2011, 2:58 pm
Time for a wild goose hunt
Jul 13, 2011, 3:32 pm
Harvest the geese and give them to the food bank!
And not only from Sandy Point, but from JD Park, Ann Morrison, any park anywhere in the county and the tops of one story office buildings that have landscaping. These creatures are becoming a real nuisance. Predate them!
Jul 13, 2011, 4:23 pm
If Sandy Point has an E-Coli problem doesn’t if follow that the BOise River, soon to be floated by hunderds of people, also have the same E-Coli. Both water sources come from the same place. Just a thought…..
Jul 13, 2011, 4:35 pm
Ducky- Dilution is the solution. Sandy Point is a stagnant pond with little water coming and going. The amount of water flowing in the river should dilute it enough. The geese at Sandy Point are no worse than the feedlots that line the Snake River in S. Idaho.
Jul 13, 2011, 4:57 pm
Finally a poop article from the G-man! This blog is worth reading again.
Jul 13, 2011, 5:40 pm
Make the geese fly to lake lowell or the Snake River A couple of dogs turned loose for an hour every morning would probably do it
Jul 14, 2011, 3:44 pm
I guess the folks at Lucky Peak can’t afford those fake coyotes to scare off those geese. Maybe they can invite some real ones from Hill top.
EDITOR NOTE–They have used some of those fake coyotes, but from what we saw, all it does is scare the crap out of the geese which gets washed into the water!
Jul 14, 2011, 7:31 pm
The Sandy Point folks say the e.coli is likely from human feces… not geese. Wether that’s correct or not is not currently known.
EDITOR NOTE–We wouldn’t presume to be experts on poop–that is a government deal. However, about the only source of human contamination would be government certified septic tanks for either the restrooms or the Corps of Engineers office. There isn’t a square yard of space out there not covered by goose poop.
Jul 15, 2011, 9:07 am
People wouldn’t really crap in the water would they??
EDITOR NOTE–Being serious here. It is a problem in public swimming pools, but mostly from children who are not yet potty trained. If there is a HUMAN problem, it most likely comes from faulty septic tanks at the Corps office or public facilities within the park. The goose issue is very obvious.
Jul 15, 2011, 10:04 pm
Children….
Jul 18, 2011, 12:39 pm
Wonder if fish pee and poop has e-coli? I’ve seen some huge squaw fish swimming around in there.
and what about the tubers in the river? I bet they pee in the river.
Hey, that’s upstream of where we get our drinking water!
Jul 19, 2011, 7:06 pm
Perhaps the City Council should pass a law making it illegal for geese to defecate on public property.
After all, that is the mentality they follow in some cases – legislate while being oblivious to reality.